Dec 28, 2015 | News

The AU, UN and OECD unveil their first joint report on Africa’s need for diversification

New York / Johannesburg, 11/10/2010 - The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a programme of the African Union (AU) adopted in Lusaka, Zambia in 2001. NEPAD is a radically new intervention, spearheaded by African leaders to pursue new priorities and approaches to the political and socio-economic transformation of Africa.

The African Union's NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NEPAD Agency), the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN-OSAA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will be releasing on 11 October a joint study recommending further diversification of African economies.

According to the study titled, “Economic Diversification in Africa: A Review of Selected Countries”, an enhanced diversification would reduce African economies’ reliance on natural resource revenues and encourage sustainable growth in other strategic sectors such as telecommunications, agriculture and tourism.

“This report looks at how Africa can boost its economic growth and development by investing greater national and regional efforts in business climate reform”, says Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer of AU-NPCA. The study also aims to improve recognition of the increasingly important contribution of Africa to global economic growth.

Also on the same day, the three international organizations will release a series of policy briefs on Africa’s foreign direct investment, infrastructure, debt, taxation, and aid. The report and fact sheets can be accessed by clicking here 

Dr. Mayaki, Mr. Eckhard Deutscher, Chair of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra, Under-Secretary-General, and UN Special Adviser on Africa will discuss their partnership and share their joint work at a briefing to UN Member States and other development partners at the UN Headquarters on Monday, 11 October at 10am.

“The co-operation between these three organizations will contribute to renewed efforts to accelerate Africa’s progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and reduce the continent’s vulnerability to external shocks and food price instability”, says Diarra.

For more information
- Mr. Andre-Michel Essoungou, UN Department of Public Information (Africa Section). Tel: + 1 917 367-9995, + 1 917 840-0685 (cell), E-mail: essoungou@un.org
- Mr. François Charlier, Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, Public Information Officer. Tel + 1 963 03 59. E-mail: charlier@un.org
- Mr. Bankole Adeoye, Chief of Staff, NEPAD Agency. Tel: +27 (0) 11 256 3600, E-mail: bankolea@nepad.org
- Mr. Karim Dahou, Executive Manager, NEPAD-OECD Africa Investment Initiative. Tel: +33 (0) 6 27592033, E-mail: karim.dahou@oecd.org

Links to the Report and the Policy briefs:

Economic Diversification in Africa: A Review of Selected Countries

Infrastructure in Africa 

Aid to Africa 

External Debt in Africa

FDI in Africa